Computing-scale.



R. D. H. ANDERSON. COMPUTING SGALE; PPLIULTION Hman un. 31, 19m.

980,898. Patented Jan 1o, 1911.

a SHEETS-sum1 111.11. 11. ANDERSON;

CQMPQTING SCALE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. 1907.

980,898. Patented 'Jau 10,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n.71). H. ANDERSON.

COMPUTING SGALB. rrLIuuioN FILED n.131, 1901.

Patented Jan.10,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

c. l 'mr mulls Vanns cca.. vusnmaron'rn'.

ROBERT D. H. ANDERSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COMPUTING-SCALE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. H. AN- DERsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a Iresident of Cincinnati, in

the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,

have invented certainnew and useful Im provements in Computing-Scales,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certainimprovements in computing scales orbalances and more part-icularl` in that class of such devices whichareladapted for substantially automatic operation for indicating bothweight and price,-the latter calculat-ed upon an arbitrary price perpound,-of the article or commodity weighed, and the object of theinvention is to provide a scale or balance of this general character ofa com paratively simple and inexpensive nature and of a compact, strongand durable construction, and which shall present certain features ofnovelty whereby accuracy of indication may be conveniently attained.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction andcombinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improvedcomputing scale or balance, whereby certain important advantages areattained and the device is rendered simpler,

cheaper and otherwisebetter adapted and more convenient for use, all aswill be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate my improvementsFigure 1 is a side elevation of a scale or balance constructed accordingto my invention, portions at opposite ends thereof being broken 0 awayto show certain details of construction 0 construction to be hereinafterreferred to;

Fig. L1 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View showing certain featuresof construe tion of the adjustable-connection between the scale-beam andthe chart or indicator of the computing mechanism; Fig. 5 is anSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 31, 1907.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Serial No. 355,013.

enlarged fragmentary view showing certain details of saidadjustable-connection in end elevation; Fig. 6 is a face view of themechanism shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view showing apreferred form of retaining means for preventing dis lacement of thedriving cam or pulley o the improved scale or balance; Fig. 8 is anenlarged fragmentary detail view showing in sectional side elevation,the preferred form of end-bearing for the indicator or chart of thecomputing mechanism; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail view taken atright-angles to the plane of the section in Fig. 8, and illustratingfurther features of said end-bear ing; Fig. 1() is a detail view similarto Fig. 9, but showing a modified formation of the end-bearing for theindicator or chart of the computing mechanism; Fig. 11 is an enlargedfragmentary view showing the indicator slit or opening of the casing ofthe device, together with certain features of the indieator or chartwithin the same; Fig. 12 is a sectional detail View taken in the planeindicated by the line time in Fig. 11, and show ing certain features ofthe indicating mechanism in section; Fig. 13 is a view somewhat similarto Fig. 11, but illustrating a modified formation of the indicatingmechanism; F 111 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 12, but taken, asindicated by line b-Z) in Fig. 13, through the modified form ofindicating mechanism illustrated in the latter figure; Fig. 15 is avertical section enlarged and taken through the casing of the computingmechanism of the improved scale or balance in the plane indicated by theline c-c in Fig. 1; Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken transversely andhorizontally through the barrel of the retarding device of the improvedscale, the plane of the section being indicated by the line d-cl in Fig.15, and Fig. 17 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing a modifiedformation of retarding device as will be hereinafter described.

As herein illustrated, the improved scale or balance is constructed inthe form of a counter scale, being mounted upon a basesupport presentingcertain features of novelty and advantagefor use upon counters and insimilar situations, but it will be evi dent that the employment of saidbase-supportis inessential to the present invention, and I do not,therefore, desire to be understood as limiting myself'to the employmentof my improvements in counter scales alone, since it is obvious that,with slightmodication and without material departure from its principlesand spirit, the invention may be applied with advantage to various otherforms of scales and balances.

1 indicates the base-support, herein shown as constructed in elongatedform with an enlarged and rounded or circular central portion 2, the topsurface of which is made with a depressed bearing portion 3 also ofcircular form, and having at its base' a groove or ball-race 4, whereinare seated balls 5 the upper sides of which protrude above the groove 4and are engaged in a corresponding groove or ball race 10, produced inthe under-surface of a central circular bearing portion 8 integrallyproduced at the lower part of the metallic frame of the improved scaleor balance and adapted to turn within the recessed bearing portion 3 ofthe base-support 1, so that the operative devices of the scale orbalance are adapted to be readily turned or rotated upon saidbase-support so as to permit of being more conveniently used withoutrequiring the device to be lifted from the counter or other supportingsurface.

In order to permit of using a minimum number of the balls 5, 5, in therace-ways 4 and 10 of the bearing portions 3 and 8 of the base-supportand frame, I employ means for spacing said balls apart. As hereinillustrated, said spacing means comprises a metal strip or wire 4a,extended in annular form within the lower groove or race-way 4 andhaving bent portions 4b, 4", at suitable intervals, within which thesaid balls 5 are held and by means of which said balls are held againstdisplacement without, however, interfering with their free movement inunison along the grooves or race-ways when the frame of the scale orbalance is turned or rotated upon the base-support 1.

Within the bearing portion 3, the central circular portion 2 of thebase-support 1 is provided with a spider 6, having a central opening inwhich is engaged for free turning movement a stud 7, centrallyprojecting from the underside of the bearing portion 8 of the scaleframe and having at its lower end an enlargement or head 9, secured inany preferred way and engaged beneath the spider 6 in such a way as toform a secure connection between the scale frame and basesupport 1, sothat the -entire device may be lifted from place to place when desired,without dislocation of the several parts.

The scale frame has end portions 11 and 12, oppositely extended from thecircular bearing portion 8 and adapted for the support of the operativedevices of the weighing and computing mechanisms, the end portion 11 ofsaid frame having an integral standard 13, from the outer side of whichis extended an arm 14, whereon is fulcrumed a` scale beam 15, havingconnection in a well known way, with a stem 18, guided for verticalmovement in the standard 13 and carrying at its upper end a suitableframe 16, whereon is held a platter, scoop or equivalent device, asshown at 17, for receivin the article to be weighed. The outer en of thescalebeam 15, beyond its fulcrum at the arm 14 --is preferablycounterbalanced as shown at 20, and when desired a tare-beam 19 may beconnected with the said scale-beam 15 in a well known way, affordingcompensation for a container rested upon the platter 17 for holding thecommodity to be weighed.

The end of the scale beam 15, opposite to the counterpoise 20 isdepressed as shown at 21 and is extended within the adjacent end of acasing or housing 22, mounted upon the opposite extended end portion 12of the scale frame and wherein is contained the connections between thescale-beam'and the computing and indicating mechanism, as will behereinafter explained. The casing or housing 22 may be convenientlyformed from sheet metal or similar material, with lower edge portionslapped outside of the lateral and end surfaces of the frame extension l2and detachably held thereto by screws 23 or the like. Within said casingor housing 22, the depressed extremity 21 of scale-beam 15 hasconnection with the lower end of a chain 25 or similar flexibleconnection, the upper end of which has connection with a band or'tape26, preferably of flexible metal, and vwhich is extended upwardly acrossthe curved face of a cam-like actuating member 28, to the upper part ofwhich said tape 2G has connection, as shown at 27, by means of a screwor the like. The said actuating member 28 has a frame 29 at its rearpart and from which are extended opposite and alined trunnions 34, 34,the extremities of which have knife-edges 30, 30, suitably engaged inseats at the upper ends of the forks of a supporting frame or lug 31,mounted on the frame extension 12, whereby the actuating member issupported for free pivotal or rocking movement. The forks of the frameor lug 31 carry retaining devices 33,33, upon their adjacent sides, saidretaining devices being in the form of thin metal washers perforated forthe passage of the trunnions 34, 34, and serving to prevent dislocationof the knife-edges 30, 30, from their seats in case the scale or balancebe jarred or moved about. Said forks of frame or lug 31 are alsoprovided with end stops 32, 32 of resilient or other material, securedat their outer faces and adapted, by engagement with the knife-edges 30,30, at their pivotal points to maintain the cam-like member 28accurately centered between said forks of the supporting frame or lug31.

The frame 29 of the actuating member 28 has a pendent arm 29a the lowerpart 0f which carries a counterpoise 32 and said frame 29 is alsoprovided with a rearwardly and upwardly inclined arm 35, between whichand the counterpoise 32 -is extended a segment-rack 36 having a toothedrack surface 37 upon its inner side concentric with the pivotal supportafforded by the knife edges B0, 30 for the cam-like actuating member 28.

38 represents a pinion or spur-wheelof small diameter' held upon one endportion of a shaft 39 horizontally extended between bearing studs 40,40, adjacent to opposite ends of the casing 0r housing 22 and havingspiders 41, 41, mounted near its ends for the support of a rounded orcylindrical indicator or chart 42, whose periphery is pro vided withsuitable price and weight indicating graduations visible at a sight aperture 43 in one side of the casing or housing 22 and surrounded by anescutcheon-plate 44 in a well known way. By preference the location ofthe sight aperture or slit 43 in cas ing or housing 22 will be such asto permit the graduations upon chart 42 to be read with the greatestease by a person standing before the scale, and in the case of a counterscale of the character to which my improvements are herein shownapplied, the line of vision of a person so standing may be considered asapproximating 55 and the sight aperture will therefore be preferablylocated at a correspoding situation in the easing or housing 22.

In order to facilitate the turning movement of the cylindrical indicatoror chart 42, -I preferably mount the shaft 39 thereof in anti-frictionbearings, the preferred formation of which is illustrated in Figs. 1, Sand 9, the extremities of said shaft being made conical o1.' tapered andreceived for free turning` movement. in sockets produced in the innerends or tips of screws 45, passed through the end supports or lugs 40,40, while anti-friction rollers or disks 4G, 4G, mounted to turn inbrackets on said end supports -l-O, 40, are engaged beneath the endportions of said shaft 39 to effectively support the same with as littlefrictional resistance as possible. In certain cases, however, this formof end bearing may be replaced by the construction shown in Fig. 10 withgood results. As shown in the latter view, the anti-friction rollers ordisks 46 are dispensed with, and the end portions of shaft 39 rest in(piadrant-shape yokes 47, mounted for free swinging movement upon theinner sides of the supports 40.

In order to prevent needless oscillation of the parts, and to cause theindicator or cylindrical chart 42 to quickly assume a position of restwhen the device is operated in weighing, I provide a retardingmechanism, shown in Figs. 1, 15, 1G and 17, and comprising a paddlewheel or similar rotative part held upon a shaft 51 having bearings atopposite ends of a tight barrel or shell 52, supported upon one of theend supports 40 for the indicator shaft. The shaft 51 carries at itsupper end and outside the barrel or shell 52, a gear pinion 50, meshingwith a crown gear surface 53 carried by the adjacent spider 41 onindicator shaft 39, in such a manner that, as said chart or indicator 42is rotated, its movement will be imparted to shaft 51, serving to rotatethe paddle wheel within the tight shell or barrel 52. The said shell orbarrel is adapted to contain a supply of some suitable Huid, as oil,glycerin, or the like, affording such a resistance to the rotation ofthe paddle wheel as will tend to retard the movement of the indicator orchart 42 and prevent oscillation thereof, so that in the weighingoperation the said indicator or chart will quickly assume a position ofrest. The paddle wheel within the barrel or shell 52 may have flatblades or wings, as shown at 49 in Figs. 15 and 16, or if desired, thewings or blades of said wheel may be given a spiral formation as shownat 49a in Fig. 17.

By the construction so far described, it will be evident that when anarticle to be weighed is rested upon the platter 17, the scale-beam 15will be depressed so that its extremity 21 will draw downwardly upon theftexible band or strap 26 and impart partial turning movement to theactuating mem ber 2S, and by reason of the gear connection of thesegment 36 with the pinion 3S, such rotative movementof the actuatingmember will be communicated to the shaft 39 to rotate the same in itsbearings, whereby the cylindrical indicator or chart 42 is caused toturn within the casing or housing 22 so that the graduations upon theperimeter of said chart may be read at the sight aperture 43 of thecasing.

In scales or balances of this general character, it has hitherto beenextremely difficult to attain an accurate readng of the successivegraduations around the perimeter of the indicator or chart, and one ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide means oit' acomparatively simple and inexpensive nature, conssting of an adjustableconnection between the scale-beam and the indicator or chart, wherebythe movement of the latter in unison with the scale-beam may beregulated in aconvenient and effective manner for securing aeeu racy ofindication of the graduations at the sight aperture of the casing. Asherein shown, such adjusting or regulating means consists in a novelstructure of the cam-like driving or actuating member 2S, the bodyportion 29 of which has upper and lower cam segments 60, GO, spacedapart from each other and connected at opposite sides by lateral platesor parts 62, 62, held to said segments by screws 61 or the like in suchmanner as to produce between said plates 62, 62 and segments 60,60, aspace or chamber wherein is received a multiplicity of thin slides orsegmental parts 68, 63, the forward ends of which are extended from saidspace or chamber to form the cam-like peripheral surface of the member2S between the Isegments 60, 60, and are adapted, in the operation ofthe improved scale or balance, to be engaged by the flexible strap orband 26, the upper end of which is held by screw 27 to the uppersegment60, ,when said band or strap is drawn upward by the return of thecylindrical chart or indicator 42 to its zero position after thecompletion of the weighing operation.

The slides or segments 63, 68, have their respective rear parts engagedby screws 65, 65, suitably supported upon the body portion 20 of themember 28, in such manner as to permit each of said slides or segmentsto be independently adjusted on loosening of the corresponding screw65,whereby the projecting forward edge portion of said slide or segmentis caused to project at a greater or lesser distance from the pivotalaxis of said member 28, the said screws serving, when tightened intoengagement withthe segments or slides, to hold the corresponding slidesor segments securely in adjusted position. By this construction it willbe evident that the slides or segments 63, 63, may be adjusted to secureany desirable configuration of the cam-like peripheral surface of themember 2S.whereon the band or strap 27 is wound in the return of theparts to the zero-position after the weighing operation, and it willconsequently be evident that the extent of movement, through a. givenarc, imparted to the member 28 upon depression of the scalebeam in theweighing` operation, may be thereby effectively made to conform to theextent of movement through a similar arc 'desirable to be imparted tothe cylindrical chart or indicator 42 to cause the graduations upon theperimetral surface thereof to appear in accurate succession at the sightaperture 43.

The escutcheon plate 44 preferably carr`es a. el ass or othertransparent plate 70, extended across the sight aperture 43 to protect.the graduated perimetral surface of the chart or indicator 42, and saidsurface has its graduatio-ns produced in circumferentially extendedseries. side by side` one o't' such series, as indicated at 75 at theright in Figs. 1 and 11, being' designed to indicate weight, while theremaining series of graduations 77, 77, are designed to indicate pricescomputed at different rates per pound.

71 represents a plate extended alongthe upper part of theI sightaperture 43 and having suitable index characters 7 2, and 73, 73 alinedwith the Yseveral seriesv of weight and price indicating graduations 75and 77, 77.

In scales or balances of this general character a correct reading of theindications at the sight aperture can only be attained by a personviewing the graduated surface in an arbitrary direction, and one of theob'- jects of the present invention is to provide a more perfect indexmeans whereby the location of said direction of view is facilitated sothat a correct reading of the indications may be more quickly andconveniently accomplished and as shown in Figs. 1, 11, and 12, saidmeans consists in a fiat plate 7 4 of thin 'metal extended lengthwisealong the central part of the sight aperture 43, with its inner edgeclosely adjacent to but not actually touching the graduated periphery ofchart 42. Said plate 7 4 is so set as to be alined with the direction ofvision of the person reading the chart, as represented by the line a: inFig. 12, and the inner and outer edge portions of said plate thereforeform parts adapted when alined with said directien of vision to permitthe correct reading to be known by the appearance of a thin line,representing merely the thickness of the strip 74, across thegraduations. Should one attempt to read the indication at an im,- properangle, it is evident that the flattened top or bottom of plate 74 willbe interposed at a greater or less angle in the line of vision, wherebya line of great-erwidth will appear across the graduations, warning theperson reading` of his error.

In some cases it may be desirable to replace the flat index plate 74above described, with inner or outer wires or threads 80, as shown inFigs. 13 and 14, these inner and outer threads or wires acting,similarly to the inner and outer edge portions of strip 74 to make knownthe correct reading when by their alinement with the line of vision,they present a narrow index line, and to give warning of an incorrectreading by the appearance of either a wider index line or of twoseparate lines when they are out of alinement with the direct-ion ofview.

In the use'of scales or balances of this general character, confusionsometimes arises, due to the appearance of a multiplicity of graduationsat the sight aperture, and in Figs. 13 and 14, I have illustrated means,forming part. of the present inventicn, whereby this disadvantage may beovercome. As shown in said views, the sight aperture 43 is dividedvertically by guides S1. S1, into a series of guide-ways each of whichis alined in front of one of the series of graduatiens 72, 73, 73, uponthe indicator or chart 42, and is adapt-ed to be traversed by a. slideor shutter S2, normally upheld by springs S4, in position to cover upthe corresponding series of graduations l; upon theihjart or indl'lcatese to obscure and prevent the same vfrom being read.

`Each slide or shutter 82 has upon its outer face an index character 73corresponding to the price per pound upon which the graduations of theunderlying series upon chart 42 are calculated, and the lower part ofeach such slide or shutter is punched or otherwise formed, as shown atS3, to produce a handle.

by means of which the person using the scalesv may conveniently depresssaid slide or shutter against the tension of its supporting springs 8st,to uncover the graduations of the underlying series upon the chart orindicator 42. The punched out part of the slide or shutter at the handle83 also affords a shoulder 85 adapted, when the slide or shutter isdrawn downward as seen in Fig. 14, to be engaged beneath the outer endor arm of a detent 86 whereby the slide or shutter is effectively heldin lowered position against the tension of its springs. Detent 86 has aninner arm 87 directed toward the periphery of chart 42 and in the pathof a flange or projection 88 extended across the said chart and designedto engage and rock the detent when the chart is returned to its zeroposition after each weighing operation. By this arrangement when theweight and price of a commodity are to be ascertained, the operatordraws down the proper' slide or shutter S2, disclosing at escutcheon itonly the series of graduations of the chart based upon the price perpound of the article to be weighed, and the detent 86, serves to retainsaid slide or shutter in lowered position until the weighing operationis completed and the article removed from the platter. .Vhen the articleis so removed, however, and the chart e2 is returned to its zeroposition, its flange or projection 88 will contact with the inner arm 87of detent 86, rocking the detent sutliciently to disengage its outer endfrom the shoulder 85 of the shutter, whereby said shutter is releasedand the springs SLL are permitted to lift the same to again hide theunderlying graduations of the chart.

The improved scale or balance constructed according to my invention isof an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature, and isespecially well adapted for use by reason of the accuracy of indicationafforded and also by reason of the convenience afforded and of thecompact structure attained by the employment of the internal gearsurface of the driving or actuating member', with which the pinion ofthe chart shaft is engaged and which permits of employing a chart andinclosing chart casing of much less diameter than would be required wereanother form of gear employed in lieu thereof, and it will be obviousfrom the above description that the improved scale or balance is capableof considerable modification without material departure from -set forthin carrying out my invention in the principles and spirit of theinvention and for this reason 1 do not desire to be understood aslimiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several partsherein practice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent isl. A scale having a movable pan 0r platter to receivean article to be weighed, indicating means comprising a movable part, anactuating member mounted to turn and connected to opera-te the movablepart of the indicating means, a iieXible part connected to and arrangedto wind upon the perimeter of the actuating member and having operativeconnection with the pan or platter and a plurality of segments in closerelationV at the perimeter of the actuating member and adjustable forcausing their outer parts to engage the ieXible part at greater or lessdistances from the pivotal axis of the actuating member.

2. A scale having a movable pan or platter to receive an article to beweighed, indicating means comprising a movable part, an actuating membermounted to turn and connected to operate the movable part of theindicating means, a flexible part connected to and arranged to wind uponthe perimeter of the actuating member and having operative connectionwith the pan or platter, devices mounted at the perimeter of theactuating member and adjustable toward and from the pivotal axis thereoffor variable engagement with said iieXible part and means for holdingsaid respective devices in adjusted position.

3. A scale having a movable pan or platter to receive an article to beweighed, indicating means comprising a movable part, an actuating membermounted to turn and connected to operate the movable part of theindicating means and comprising a body portion having spaced upper andlower segments, a series of intermediate segments held between saidspaced segments of the body portion and adjustable to vary theprojection of their perimetral parts beyond the pivotal aXis of theactuating member and a. tiexible part affording driving connection fromthe pan or platter to the actuating member and arranged to wind oversaid adjustable segments.

et. A scale having a movable pan or platter to receive an article to beweighed, an actuating member mounted to turn, a flexible part affordingdriving connection from the pan or platter to the actuating member andarranged to wind thereon, a cylindrical indicator rotatively mounted andinclosing the actuating member and gearing comprising an internal gearsurface connected with the actuating member and a spur gear con- 130 79/@0K3 Wake 727,1?? H 2575? fr Mawr f 5,253 7&5

am, 'me ff cae/w 7 A scale comprising a casing having a QOH;

,gf/H fr nected With the indicator for operating the 35 latter from saidactuating member. sight aperture, an indicator chart mounted 5. Acomputing-scalel having a movable to turn therein and havingcircumferential pan or platter adapted to receive articles to series ofgraduations, side by side, upon its be weighed, an actuating-membermounted perimeter, slides movable in and out of posito turn, a flexiblemember affording drivingtion across the sight aperture and register- 40connection from the pan or platter to the ing, respectively, with theseveral circumactuating-member and arranged to Wind on ferential seriesof graduations upon the inthe latter, a horizontal, cylindricalindicator dicator chart, detents for holding the rerotatively-mountedand inclosing its said spective slides When moved in one directionactuating-member Which is suitably engaged across the sight aperture,means for disen- 45 therewith, and an indicator retarding or gaging thedetents from the slides upon the cushioning device comprising a verticalcylreturn of the chart to normal position after inder carrying a supplyof oil and a bladedeach operation thereof, and means for mov- Wheelmounted to turn therein and having ing the slides reversely across theaperture,

driving gear-connection with the indicator When released by the detents.50 to prevent undue oscillation thereof. 8. In computingscales of thecharacter 6. A computing-scale comprising therein described, platformsupporting means, rotaa horizontal .cylindrical casing having a lontableindicator means including a shaft gitudinal sight-aperture, atransparent lltherein carrying a pinion indicator-actuating in `suchaperture, an indicatorchart ing means, connections between said indica-55 mounted to turn Within said casing and havtor-actuating means andsaid platform suping thereon peripheral graduations in anporting meansfor operating the former from nular series, a positive indicating meansthe latter and an open, skeleton frame carried comprising inner andouter Wires extended by said indicator-actuating means and comorstretched longitudinally along the inner prising therein acounterbalance-Weight and 60 and outer faces, respectively, of saidfilling an internally-toothed curved rack bar or in the sight-aperture,the inner Wire being segment meshing With said pinion. 1;,-

` adjacent but not touching the graduated pe- Signed at lVheeling, Wr.Va., this 14th riphery of the indicator-chart and the outer day ofJanuary 1907.

Wire being adapted for alinement with said ROBERT D. H. lANDERSON. innerWire to readily and positively permit lvitnesses:

a correct line of vision for reading said in- H. E. DUNLAP,

dicator-chart. C. A. MATHENEY.

